“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
― George Orwell, Animal Farm
Since the beginning of recorded human history systems of hierarchy have been set up not only to control and keep the masses in their places, but to make men superior to women, one race superior to another, and the rich superior to the poor. Laws and rules have been created to support these systems and keep them firmly in place. Kings and presidents in politics, similar to priests and the clergy in religion have been elevated on the tenets of exclusion and superiority. These have been slow in falling away over time and sadly are still too prevalent in the society of today.
The current crop of Republican politicians vying for president of the United States have made it crystal clear that they have no intention in helping to dismantle systems of divide and rule. In fact, they seem intent on bringing us back decades into a past that we have worked so hard to overcome. Their interest is not in the best interest of everyday citizens. Instead their focus is squarely placed at the feet of their billionaire and millionaire donors, with the exception of Donald Trump, whose sole interest is himself.
In fact, the Supreme Court’s misstep in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission justifies and strengthens what was once usually done in secret, making it perfectly legal for politicians to openly sell themselves to the highest bidding billionaire and the shameless buying of elections. This sole decision was a blatant nod toward an oligarchic state, in quiddity, making money equal to speech. The more money you have in America, the louder you are able to speak. This ruling has wiped out some voter’s rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and erodes much of the progress made in Reynolds v. Sims, 377 US 533 – Supreme Court 1964.
Our politicians pandering to the so-called Christian Right is hardly ever about their own religious convictions. Their pandering is instead an attempt to further divvy up an electorate already intent on voting against their own self-interests. As long as you are able to convince someone that they are better or better off than the next person you have already won them over. In this election cycle the clown car has so far been able to convince Americans that the source of our problems are Mexicans. Support for building a great wall along the border is a growing movement.
“In terms of income as opposed to wealth, almost all of the new income generated in recent years has gone to the top 1 percent. In fact, the latest information that we have shows that in recent years, over 99 percent of all new income generated in the economy has gone to the top 1 percent.”
— Sen. Bernie Sanders
As the first Republican primary debate proved to us, runaway income inequality, with almost all of the recent economic recovery gains going to the wealthy and corporations, burdensome student loan debt, racial injustices and pay equity for women, some of the most pressing issues facing America today are of no concern to the GOP. There must have been a time in America that running for president meant really making America better. Now it is about who is least politically correct? The last few weeks of this campaign I have not been able to shake the sinking feeling that I am just watching a bad remake of Bulworth.
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